How to Remove Cough Syrup Stains

During cold and flu season, cough syrup becomes a mainstay in many households, especially those with children. Children, by nature, make messes, and sometimes that cough syrup ends up all over the place. This sticky medicine can make unsightly stains all over your home, and, in this article, we’re going to check out how to remove cough syrup stains.

How to Remove Cough Syrup Stains From Clothing

When you’re sick, you usually don’t fire on all cylinders. That’s alright, but if you don’t care of the cough syrup stains that occur on your clothing, you may be in for an unattractive, sticky mess after you get over your illness.

Sponge the area with water, and then apply a few drops of white vinegar.

Take the absorbent paper towel or rag and allow it to sit over the area. Let it stand for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes (depending on how deep the stain has set). Change the paper towel or rag as the stain is picked up by it.

Flush the entire piece of clothing with water, rinsing it thoroughly.

In some cases, the stain will be gone at this point. If not, then take the solution that consists of 1 quart warm water, ½ teaspoon of liquid detergent, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar and set the piece of clothing in it for about 15 minutes.

Wash the piece of clothing as you normally would, making sure to check between washing and drying. If the stain is not gone after washing, leave the article of clothing to air dry, and then repeat the process. Putting the article of clothing in the dryer could set the stain and make it even more difficult to remove.

How To Remove Cough Syrup Stains From Carpet

Oops! You’ve spilled some of your cough syrup right on the carpet. You can’t wash it like you do an article of clothing, so you have to take a bit of a different approach to eliminating the stain.

Take the vacuum and clean up any cough syrup that has dried up; this will make the rest of the cleaning process easier.

Take the detergent solution listed above and douse one of the cloths with it. Apply the solution to the area by dabbing outside of the stained area and working your way in. Allow this to sit for five to ten minutes.

Blot the area with a clean white cloth until the stain is no longer getting picked up by the cloth.

Rinse the area with warm water. If the stain is not gone, repeat the process with the vinegar solution. Alternate between the two solutions until the stain is removed or the cloths no longer take the stain.

Take the paper towels and set them on top of the wet area. Set a heavy object, like a ceramic knick-knack, on top of the paper towels and allow them to sit overnight. The paper towels should absorb the rest of the moisture and eliminate the rest of the stain. Vacuum in the morning to restore the carpet’s original texture.